Rumors surround the tragic death of a star student in a small town in _Twenty-Seven Minutes_. A late-night accident took the life of Phoebe Dean, and her brother Grant has been living with the aftermath and his guilt for ten years. He is not the only one consumed by grief on the anniversary of the accident, and as Phoebe’s memorial draws nearer, truths come to the surface to allow healing after one horrible night. This book draws you in and keeps you reading and guessing the outcome.

What a tale this turned out to be! Initially, I was uncertain about it, but as the tapestry of characters unfurled, my interest piqued. The central mystery revolves around a tragic car accident that claims a young girl's life – but what kept everyone silent for 27 long minutes before seeking help? Her absence haunted the entire small, economically challenged town where dreams of departure often remained unfulfilled. A sudden revelation mid-story took me by surprise, making me question: where had this character been all along? The finale was unexpected, proving that appearances can be deceiving. Though it began at a languid pace, the crescendo of events compelled me to see it through to its shocking conclusion. Highly recommended! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Thank you, NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press, for this riveting journey.

Thank you to #poisonedpenpress, #ashleytate, and #netgalley for the ARC of Twenty-Seven Minutes. While I did enjoy the book with each chapter being a different character perspective and some chapters going 10 years in the past, it felt a bit longer than needed. The 10 year time span felt a bit long; it would have made a bit more sense for it to be a year or maybe 5 yrs since the accident. Being given bits and pieces of information from multiple characters who all seem to have these huge secrets did get to be a little confusing as well, especially if you couldn't read for a few days. I found myself having to go back a few times to remember who said what. The book is slow in the beginning but once I got halfway through, I couldn't put the book down. The characters were well developed but I didn't care for any of them. I did feel bad for what they went through back then and continued to experience after the accident. The ending was satisfying and while it wasn't a big shock thinking back on some items, it was still a great ending. For this being a 1st book for the author, I think it's really good and if it was made into a streaming movie, I would definitely watch & enjoy! I would give this book 3.5 stars.

Unusual story. Not the same as so many out there. It was a quick read but I did wish it would get to the point sooner. The thing that struck me is that there wasn't one happy well-adjusted character in the whole book, the ending had a surprise and that was the only wow. I think the book was well written and the pace other than continuing longer that I liked was fine. Thank you, NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this unusual book. Would I purchase it for a friend no but I wouldn't tell you not to read it since there is a different type of story here with a few interesting twists.

I read Twenty-Seven Minutes a month or so ago, I wrote notes on it so I wouldn't forget the book and what I wanted to say when I wrote this. Then life happened (Health scare, family bits and bobs and well... Life really) and it got pushed back. As a rule I write my reviews as close to finishing the book as possible so it's fresh to me. What I can remember, this was just ok for me. I barely remember the story until I re-read the synopsis though, so that wasn't really a great start.

Firstly I love a book that's graphic. Now not all violence appeals to everyone and that does make me sound like I'm psychotic, but it just means I have a severely vivd imagination and I like to really be 'in' the story and the moment. But I also don't like it to over shadow what's happening in the story. I felt at times this had 'shock' factor and took away from the plot its self. There needs to be a balance. I also felt the story wasn't that original, there was predictability to it. However, the plot twist was good! In my notes I wrote very little about the characters and how I felt about them (Sorry again not a great sign).

I want to finish say, 2.5/3 stars does not make this a bad book, it just means that I felt it was ok. It didn't blow my mind, nor did I dislike it (Indifferent springs to mind). It was just a mystery I can say I've read. Would I recommend it to other readers, maybe (It would depend if it came to mind...). But it wouldn't be the first book I thought of - sorry.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC in exchange of an honest review.

“Twenty-Seven Minutes” would have benefited from being half as long. An author can draw out the revelation of secrets if the story has a good mystery and engaging characters in which the reader can become invested. Unfortunately, this book only has one of those elements. The major characters are sad, pathetic figures. The truth about what happened the night Phoebe Dean died could possibly send someone to jail, but otherwise none of the major characters have much to lose if the truth comes out — their lives cannot become much worse. Nor will the truth make things much better for any of them -- it might give one or more characters a sense of resolution, but they will still be leading sad, pathetic lives. However, the author has crafted a good mystery around what happened the night Phoebe Dean died, and how it ties in with another event that same night that the community has largely forgotten. There are some unexpected twists.

Phoebe Dean a young girl who is bright and has her whole life ahead of her. Until one fateful night that changes so many young lives and finds Phoebe dead. What really happened on the bridge that night that left a young girl dead and the start of a cover up as to why did it take Phoebe's brother Grant who was driving that night why did it take him twenty seven minutes to call for help? Could Phoebe be saved in that time?

Ten years have gone by the anniversary of Phoebe's death is coming up and a vote to demolish the bridge the accident happened on is coming up, because another accident happened on the bridge so the town's people want it gone. Will this help Phoebe's mother cope with her death. Will her Becca who was in the car with Grant and Phoebe remember what really happen. Or will Grant finally tell the truth.? One problem with all of this is Wyatt Delroy also disappears that night and no one but his sister June seems to care. What could have happened to Wyatt.

I was really glad I received this ARC because the story sounded really interesting. After getting through what was happening in the present time and then going back the ten years to the night leading up to the accident I got hooked. Then as I kept reading I started to lose interest. I never want to put a book away if I cannot get through it so i kept reading. It just dragged for me. I really wanted to get to the end to find out what really happened. Then is finally did. I was surprised at the ending but was upset that it was over. There was not really much in the middle. I really wanted more. The plot itself was interesting, but the meat and bones in the middle didnt' exist. I found the characters a little dull , wish there was more to them. If there was more to the characters I might have enjoyed it more.

Still I would like to thank Ms Tate, NateGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC. I only wished I could say that I really enjoyed the whole book.

Why did it take so long to call for help? That question is at the center of TWENTY-SEVEN MINUTES, the new novel by Ashley Tate.

SUMMARY
A decade ago, on a rain-soaked road, an accident took the life of Phoebe Dean, a rising star and popular girl, and left her brother Grant and their school friend Becca as survivors. Yet, in the tight-knit community of West Wilmer, there remains a persistent mystery shrouded in whispers and innuendos: why did it take Grant twenty-seven minutes to seek assistance that fateful night?

Grant's life has since spiraled into a struggle, marked by a menial job, heavy drinking, and residing with a barely tolerant mother, as he attempts to outrun the haunting memories of the accident. Meanwhile, Becca, the other survivor, is desperate to help him. However, as the town reopens old wounds on the ten-year anniversary of Phoebe's death, it becomes increasingly challenging for Becca to hold onto the secret she has harbored for so long. The memorial commemorating Phoebe's life stirs painful recollections and raises probing questions: what truly happened that night, and did Phoebe really have to die?

THOUGHTS
TWENTY-SEVEN MINUTES is a slow-paced narrative unfurling through the voices of its alternating narrators, both as teenagers during the accident and as adults a decade later. The pivotal accident acts as a boundary separating the "before" and "after." Although the concept of the novel is intriguing, its execution leaves much to be desired. The characters come across as one-dimensional and uninspiring. Grant and Becca, in particular, tend to engage in internal monologues that quickly become tiresome. The repetitive nature of these inner dialogues fails to provide meaningful insight into their decision-making after the initial chapters and instead bogs down the storyline. The town's infatuation with Phoebe's memory lacks a clear explanation beyond her academic achievements and popularity, making her character appear almost obsessively focused on her brother, Grant. Early on, it's apparent why Becca earned the moniker "Crazy Becca," a character who could inspire sympathy but doesn't. Among the cast, Grant and June stand out as the most sympathetic characters, yet even they lack the depth to be truly inspiring.

FINAL THOUGHTS
TWENTY-SEVEN MINUTES reads like a young adult (YA) novel, prompting a quick check to make sure it was classified as Adult Fiction. The early chapters are interesting but the story loses its focus, devolving into repetitive musings from thinly developed characters. There is a nice twist to the ending but it is a long slow slog to get there.

Thanks to #Netgalley for providing access to this ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

TWENTY-SEVEN MINUTES
Pub Date: 30 January, 2024

Well, I wanted to love it! But, this was extremely repetitive and read less thriller and more soap opera or drama on TV. It was a bit all over the place with trying to do all the things all at once.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishing company for my free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Got this as an ARC. It was a good read!! Hard to put down because I just NEEDED to know what happened. I love how the book gives you different points of view to really give you the full experience of The Event. I would definitely recommend this book!

I wanted to love this. The beginning of the book seemed to spend a lot of time introducing character, which is pretty standard, but then the rest of the book stayed at the same slow pace. The ending was kind of anticlimactic and I didn’t really see the motivation. This is a quick and fun read, but I wouldn’t recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

I enjoyed this one! It was suspenseful and twisty and fast paced. It wasn't anything groundbreaking or mindblowing for me, but it was definitely fun. Grab your popcorn and enjoy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC!

After reading the synopsis for this and some other reviews on NetGalley, I was really excited! But this ended up falling a bit flat for me. It did have some tension and elements that I found interesting and gripping but it never followed through and I got frustrated quite a few times.

I tried to finish this book but there are so many things I don’t like. The writing rhythm is not my style. It reads like a millennial’s blog post. It may be for younger audience than me, I gave up at the 13% mark. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for a chance to read this advanced copy and I wish them well. I won’t be posting this review on other platforms because I think it just wasn’t for me.

Have you ever sat still for 27 minutes??? Not me, but once I started reading I definitely sat still longer then that because this book just sucked me in.
A small town with secrets. Is there or is there not a reliable character? Dont think too much on who’s telling the truth and who’s lying because at some point everyone lies.
Is Phoebe Dean a good person like the public thinks or was she really a controlling and problematic person?

I stuck in for June, who is one of many points of view in this book. I couldn’t help but root for her, for her freedom and peace of mind.

I did enjoy this book, but getting into the heads of horrible characters just grates on me. It’s a classic case of it’s me, not the book.

To be honest, the ending was almost worth it. It bumped my star rating up. Unfortunately the sometimes cliche writing and unlikely character traits pulled it down still.

I received this book from Netgalley for my honest opinion.

I like this one and overall it was a good story well told but it kinda lost me in the middle but overall good read
Thanks yo Netgalley for letting me review book and publisher for letting me review the book

This was quite a story – when I started it, I wasn’t sure I was going to like it but as continued, it became more interesting with all the characters. A young girl was killed in an auto accident but why did it take 27 minutes for anyone to call the police and get help. The whole town mourned her for years. Takes place in a small town, a poor town, and people who wanted to leave and couldn’t leave. At a point in the story, someone appeared and it gave me a jolt as to where was he all this time – the ending is not what I expected. It was a slow start but it kept building and I had to finish to see what actually happened and why. I would certainly recommend this read. Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read this story.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of Twenty-Seven Minutes in exchange for my review.

Twenty-Seven Minutes is a dark novel told through various characters’ accounts at two points in time a decade apart. The story starts with a car accident in a small town that alters the lives of two teenagers and ends one more. Leading up to a commemoration ten years later, everyone who was directly or indirectly involved is trying to make sense of their role and figure out how to get on with their life.

The story is well written and the differing accounts pull the reader forward through the action. However, there’s not a well adjusted character in the book, so it’s not a particularly enjoyable read. The author wrote the book after her mother’s sudden death from a brief illness, and a mood of hopelessness and despair permeates the whole thing. Know what you’re in for when starting this book.

This book was a bit of a tough read, I definitely had a hard time getting into the storyline. I had a strong feeling that there was a link between the disappearance of Wyatt and the accident that claimed Phoebe and was interested to see how that panned out. The characters were all pretty complex and it was bittersweet how it all ended. Overall not a bad book, but it took me a while to finish the story.